"They Stole It From Us, Sneaky Little Hobbitses, Wicked, Tricksy, False!" Hobbit Casting News and More

[Warning, what started as a simple note about Hobbit casting instead mutated into extreme Tuesday Night Geekery...]

Okay, so the headline really doesn't have much to do with any fresh Hobbit casting news... after all, everyone could pretty much guess that Andy Serkis would be reprising his CGI role as Gollum in Guillermo del Toro, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens' new two-part Hobbit/LOTR prequels. But it's just so fun to do Gollum-speak, isn't it?

(When I first read Tolkien's novels in junior high, I used to run around talking like Gollum. Intentionally. To girls. Girls I liked. Win a dream date, ladies.)

The first Hobbit film is due in theaters December, 2011--that's only two and a half years, folks! Never too early to start getting our geek on.

Appearing on a BBC Radio program last week (or "programme" as they say, because if there's one thing Brits love it's extra letters in words... and tea... and the Queen... and male comedians who dress up as women...), del Toro confirmed Serkis would be back, but also Hugo Weaving as Elrond and Ian McKellen as Gandalf. Again, not big surprises, but I remember thinking a few years back, when The Hobbit was jammed up by Jackson's lawsuit against New Line, "best get this thing moving--Ian McKellen is nearing 70..."

Elrond only appears briefly in The Hobbit, when Bilbo and Gandalf's party seeks refuge at Rivendell, but his role could be greatly expanded in one or both of the new films. Remember, the movies will fill in the events between Bilbo's adventures and Frodo's 60 years later, including much more than just the action of The Hobbit.

Originally it seemed as if del Toro, producers Jackson and Walsh, and writer Boyens would cover The Hobbit in one film and the later "in-between" events in the second. But it now appears they may split the action of The Hobbit over the two films, no doubt dividing the novel somewhere between the escape from the Misty Mountains (and Bilbo's fateful encounter with Gollum) and the meeting with Beorn, the Mirkwood spiders, and imprisonment by the wood elves.

Of course splitting the novel like this would mean that in the first film, other than flashbacks in tales told by the dwarves, we wouldn't get to see The Hobbit's biggest star: Smaug the Dragon. Del Toro says they're still working out exactly how to bring Smaug to life, noting that one tricky element is going to be how to make a talking dragon feel realistic--remember, unlike C.S. Lewis's Narnia, in the rest of Tolkien's world animals do not talk.

Also, in the interview, del Toro mentioned what many fans have suspected: that we will get to see more of what's going on off-stage during The Hobbit as well, including when Gandalf leaves Bilbo and the Dwarves so that he, Saruman, Elrond and the rest of the White Council can confront the Necromancer at Dol Guldur and drive him away. Said Necromancer would turn out to be Sauron, regathering his strength and power and returning in LOTR.

Another issue is the look and tone of the films. As Tolkien readers know, The Hobbit is a very different style of book than The Lord of the Rings--it was written for younger children and has more of a fairytale quality to it. Del Toro has suggested the first film could reflect that difference, with the second one acting more as a stylistic bridge between del Toro's unique fantasy style (as seen in the Hellboy films and Pan's Labyrinth) and Jackson's in LOTR. (Alan Lee and John Howe, the artist-designers from the LOTR trilogy are back on duty for The Hobbits.)

Oops, am I getting geek all over you? I'm geeking too much, aren't I?

Anyway, these casting confirmations still leave room for fan-boy/girl speculation. Will Aragorn appear in the films, perhaps helping Gandalf track down leads on both Gollum and the Necromancer in the decades between the books, or setting up the Ranger's watch over the Shire? And if so, can we assume Viggo Mortensen will be back in the role?

And what of Saruman? He could potentially play a large role in the expanded films, as he leads the White Council against the Necromancer, only to be seduced and corrupted by Sauron before the start of LOTR. However, 87-year-old Christopher Lee's health is not great, and he has said he cannot fly to New Zealand for shooting. Replace him? Use CGI magics to still incorporate Lee into the film?

Del Toro has also suggested that a couple of his Hellboy stars may appear, including his long-time go-to actor, Ron Perlman--as Beorn, perhaps? Or maybe the Orc King? Or a troll? Also Doug Jones (Abe Sabien) might play Thranduil, the wood-elf king and father to Legolas. (Will we get an Orlando Bloom cameo?)

But most importantly who will play the hobbit himself? That remains the the big mystery. We can expect an announcement sometime in the next month, with James McAvoy's name being bandied about the most. McAvoy would seem a perfect fit, even without his British fantasy practice as Mr. Tumnus in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Technically, McAvoy is too young to play Bilbo--the hobbit was a middle-aged 50 when he had his great adventure. But Frodo was about the same age in LOTR and of course was skewed much younger in the films by having Elijah Wood play him.

Let's say McAvoy can't or doesn't want to do it--who else is on your wish list for Bilbo?

Comments

[katy krapfl]

Ewan McGregor? John Simm? David Tennant? He would be a wacky hobbit.

[Heather J.]

no comments except to say that I am incredibly excited about these movies - and it is NEVER to early to get your fanboy/fangirl on!

[Ben M.]

If they could work digital wizardry on Ian Holm we'd be doing well.
Alternately I think Ricky Gervais would be an interesting choice. Bilbo is a rather humorous character- so reluctant and held up on his homely things, very British, you know.

[Joe Allen]

"in the rest of Tolkien's world animals do not talk."

What about the eagles?

[Trevor]

They could just get weird and have Elijah Wood play Bilbo. I am very excited, especially with del Toro being on the project.

[Melissa]

I would like to see the under-used James Nesbitt as Bilbo. It might be a tough job to work the Northern Irish brogue out of his speech, but he has an elastic face and an air of good humor about him. Also, he's not that well known here which would work well for the role.

[Peter K]

How about George Clooney? Hey, what's that smell?? GAHHH! I'M ON FIRE!!! AAAAAAGGGGHHH! HELP M.... (ssssssss)

[Locke Peterseim]

Joe, you're right--the eagles DO talk in the Hobbit, don't they? and I think the Mirkwood spiders do to? But again, that was all in The Hobbit, a more child-oriented story.

By the time he got to LOTR, I think Tolkien was regretting the talking animals thing. (I'm guessing he gave his friend CS Lewis some grief over it's use in the Narnia books.)

And do the eagles actually TALK in the LOTR books? Now I have to spend the afternoon tracking all this down! (I also wonder if Tolkien addresses the issue of talking animals in any of his letters...)

[Locke Peterseim]

Ben, I'm now sitting here in a weird silence trying to imagine a Ricky Gervais Bilbo...

And the odd thing is, my mind isn't COMPLETELY automatically recoiling against the idea...

But in the end, as HUGE of a fan of Gervais as I am, I think most Tolkien fans' heads would "pop" over the notion...

[Harry]

if not Ian Holm, how about Bob Hoskins? I know neither is a spring chicken, but Bilbo is certainly not a lithe, leading man type, even by Hobbit standards. And my one beef with LOTR was Samwise was WAY too young and handsome. He should have looked more foul and felt fair, if you take my meaning.

[Locke Peterseim]

But no, Ben, as much as I and any of us would LOVE to have seen Ian Holm as Bilbo 20 years ago, I've never seen that "digital de-aging" thing really work well, not even in the short instances where it's been used--Patrick Stewart just looked WEIRD in Wolverine...

I'm sure someday it will look better (and certainly Jackson and WETA and his CGI guys have continually broken down huge barriers in SPX advancements--including, word is, on Smaug himself), but for now I cringe at the idea of several hours of a kinda shiny, glowy, slippery "face" on Biblo

[Locke Peterseim]

I'm afraid, Harry, that Bob Hoskins is not as young as any of us remember, either -- that's the problem, we're all thinking in our heads to a Bob Hoskins from Mona Lisa or Roger Rabbit, forgetting that those films were 20-25 years ago. Hoskins is now 66, which isn't THAT old, but probably too old for this sort of thing. As much as the BOOK version of Bilbo starts out as a sort of sedate, plump Englishman, it's clear for the FILM they're going to want someone younger, more mobile and action-y.

Melissa, one of the drawbacks of the redblog gig and the never-ending stream of cheap horror film DVDs I have to watch is that I've lost the closer touch with British television and film I used to have, so I am not familiar with James Nesbitt -- however, looking him up, I think you're on to something. He certainly LOOKs the part and I'll take your word for it on his demeanor.

Same goes for John Simm, Katy. However, David Tennent would be a GREAT choice--if we could fatten him up just a bit.

And as much as I love Ewan, I do agree with Melissa that the less-known the actor playing Bilbo, the better. I still think McAvoy would be fine, but yes, he would bring a little "celeb recognition" baggage with him.

[LC]

Since McAvoy is my first choice, I don't have any alternate suggestions, but the following is a quote of del Toro during a recent interview when asked what he is looking for in the actor to play Bilbo.

He has not announced who will play the central character of Bilbo Baggins, but whoever gets the role must be able "to transmit a certain aura of damaged innocence, integrity and innate goodness that are very Hobbity."
http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/movies/47879602.html

[patsy]

this is awesome! i have never chatted with so many fellow hobbit geeks! i vote for James Nesbitt

[Lou Dubrule]

I nominate John Knoeller, a total unknown, currently living in Madison, WI. In high school, his nickname was Hobbit, and he *looks* the part! He's 43, roundish, and according to him, he's available. Address upon request.

[marit]

John Simm, no question. He'd be fantastic.